The Wrong Ending
by padfoot0520
Summary: A different ending to Deathly Hallows. MAJOR SPOILERS!
1. The Unavoidable Truth

**I was thinking about this the other night and I absolutely had to write about it even though the entire American public will hunt me down after they read it. This is a different ending to Deathly Hallows… MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!! Oh yeah, and some of the details have changed. For one thing, the trio has recovered the sword of Gryffindor. Please read and review… and keep your torches and pitchforks a safe ways away. **

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He was gone. He was gone and they knew it. Voldemort had won, it was over. Hermione and Ginny clung to Ron as if he was a life-line rescuing them from the open sea. Ron squeezed the pair of them, while his own silent tears cascaded down his face. Harry was gone and they didn't even get a chance to say good-bye.

All of a sudden, a rage of fury rose in Ron, like a volcano about to erupt. _I'm going to finish this, _he thought. _Harry will not have died in vain._ He looked down at his feet, and he saw Gryffindor's sword. He grabbed it, and even though the two girls were still holding on to him, he stepped forward.

Voldemort stood over Harry's body, looking like a little child who was just rewarded for receiving high marks on an exam. He wasn't paying attention, and before anyone could process what had happened, the sword of Gryffindor, its large rubies gleaming in the rising sun, sliced off the head of the massive snake's head, while simultaneously, a voice cried into the night, "_Avada Kedavra!_" Voldemort, never realizing the ambush, crumpled to the floor; the scarlet eyes never to truly see the lives that he had taken. Never to have a chance at remorse ever again.

Ron was sure that it had worked, that Voldemort was done. He dropped the sword and collapsed down over the cold, dead body of Harry Potter, and sobbed.

"It's over, Harry. You can rest in peace." Ron whispered into Harry's ear. And as Ron lie there beside Harry, a great revelation came to him: his best mate was gone where you could never come back. Ron finally came back to his senses and felt surround him and Harry. Through his wet eyelashes, he saw others lying by Harry's side and heard the screams of horror in the background. Hermione sobbed at Harry's head, and Ron got up and went over to her. He sat down and cradled her in his arms, while they both cried.

Ron wanted to comfort her, tell her that it will be okay, that Harry was just sleeping and will wake up any moment, but he couldn't because that wasn't the truth. It wasn't going to be ok: Harry was dead; it was the unavoidable truth. For the first time in Ron's life, he felt alone. He felt that no one would be there to comfort him… that was always Harry's job when he was having a hard time. Ron squeezed Hermione even harder, while angry tears streamed down his face. It wasn't supposed to end like this, Harry should have been there, alive, holding the two of them, celebrating that their long, hard adventure was over. But that was it, the adventure wasn't over, it was just beginning. Ron and Hermione had the rest of their lives to live… without Harry.

Before he even knew it, it was light out and the grounds were deserted. Ron released Hermione and they wiped away their remaining tears. Hermione got up and went over to Harry and started to lift him up to bring him into the Great Hall. Ron hurried over to her, seeing that she was struggling under Harry's weight. He single-handedly lifted him up and the two of them made their way into the huge oak doors, Harry lying limply, like a rag doll in Ron's arms.

As soon as they entered, the Hall went silent. A bed had been brought out at the back of the room where the teachers usually sat. Ron gently laid Harry down and stood behind him. It was still completely silent in the hall, all eyes upon the trio. Ron took and deep breath and said in the loudest voice her could muster, "Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lives."


	2. The Stag in the Sky

**Yay! Second chapter! Okay, so this chapter is a little bit of a roll-off from the sixth Harry Potter. Another note, please still keep your newly sharpened pitchforks and knives safely away. **

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Ron awoke, incredibly groggy and feeling as though someone had hit him over the head with a Beater's bat over and over. He looked around his room back at the Burrow, brightly painted orange, decorated with his fading Chudley Cannons posters. The room brought back loads of memories, most of which he didn't want to think about because of there involving Harry.

Ron sat in his bed, still trying to convince himself that what had happened the day before hadn't. He was trying to convince himself that as soon as he looked over to where Harry would normally sleep, he would find his sleeping peacefully. Ron looked over at the other bed and turned his head away hurriedly. It was cold and empty… just like his heart.

There was a light tap on the door and Hermione poked her head inside the bedroom. Seeing that Ron was awake, she tip-toed in. Ron saw that she was wearing a set of long black robes, her hair tied into a knot at the back of her head. She silently handed him a pair of robes and he changed into them. Hermione sat down on the bed with her head in her hands, obviously trying to hold back her tears. Ron walked over to the bed and gently put his hand on her shoulder.

"Why do we have to do this so soon? I don't want to say good-bye, not yet." Ron knew Hermione was talking about the funeral to take place at the Burrow that afternoon. It was decided that the ceremony for Harry would be at the Burrow, but he would then be brought to Grodric's Hallow to be laid to rest with his parents.

"He's suffered enough; it's time to take the weight off of his shoulders." Ron said meekly. The truth was, he too was not ready to say good-bye either.

There was another gentile tap on the door, and Ginny walked into the room. She looked as if she hadn't slept at all, but instead had been crying all night.

"Mum says it's time to go downstairs. People are starting to arrive." Ginny said in a small voice. Ron nodded, and then took Hermione's hand and led her downstairs, Ginny trailing at the back. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion as they made their way downstairs and out the back door.

For being June, it was incredibly cloudy out with the smell of rain in the air. Witches and wizards, both familiar and unfamiliar, were sitting in their rightful seats. Ron could have smiled, but didn't: all of these people were all present at the funeral to honor Harry. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny went to the front of the row and took their seats. Even as they sat, Ron and Hermione held hands, Hermione taking deep, slow breaths. It was suddenly quiet and Mr. Weasley took his place in front of the single tomb, that very much resembled the one Dumbledore was buried in. Ron noticed that there was writing on it. He didn't know what it said, but easily made a guess that it said things similar to what Hermione described to him about the sign in Godric's Hallow.

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and said slowly, "On behalf of my family, we thank you for being here." Ron immediately zoned out, absorbed in his own thoughts of Harry. Hermione shifted in her seat and he journeyed back into the real world. Ron's father was now talking about what had happened that night. What he had said before all of this, Ron didn't know, not that it mattered. A hundred services could have been held, but none of which would bring him back.

"… but I think you all deserve the truth. The truth about why Harry is amongst the dead. Harry was killed because it was the only way to finish Vol… Voldemort." Ron felt a tinge of admiration for his father, who had always been afraid of saying Voldemort's name. "I have also talked to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore and he has some wise words for you all: 'Harry did what he had to do. He died so that he could pave a new rode for the rest of you to live. For the sake of Harry, please, keep living and passing along the story of a kind, brave young boy who died to keep the world he left behind a happier place than it was.'

"So, I say we all do what Dumbledore had told us. Live your lives, but never forget about the person who has changed the world. Never forget Harry Potter. Long live Harry Potter."

People started to move around their seats, gathering their belongings and starting to leave. _Keep living… a happier place… Harry did what he had to do. No_. Ron thought, _he didn't have to do this. We could have helped, done something. _Realizing this, something deep down inside Ron began to hurt. _This is my final good-bye._

Ron, now alone sitting rooted in his chair, looked up into the sky. The clouds had become darker and denser, the sound of distant thunder echoing off the mountain tops. All of a sudden, Ron saw a shape emerge from the clouds. It was a stag. Ron shook his head, not believing his eyes, but when he looked back up, the stag was still there. Instinctively, Ron stood up, his eyes still glued to the stag. As if some unknown, but not unwelcome force took up his being, he said, "Good-bye, Harry." The clouds that made up the stag moved, making it nod down to Ron. The stag dispersed and became apart of the sky again, finally releasing the rain, like tears from the heavens.


End file.
